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Safe Haven - Oh God, More Character Backgrounds!

It had rained last night. Patrick walked out into the main part of the church to find water pooled in the center, right below where the roof collapsed. The times it rained were few and far between, Patrick wasn’t sure if it was because of the region or somehow because of the apocalypse, but he couldn’t recall any time in his life beforehand that it only rained once every several months like this.
Because of the hole in his roof, he was more grateful than wondered by the infrequent rain, cleanup was always a chore. He didn’t have a mop or anything useful. He went to retrieve an old push broom and opened both main doors to the church. From there he would attempt to push as much water out the front as he could. He once figured he could collect the water and use it for his garden, but it was always more trouble than it was worth and the garden always did just fine without the additional water.

As Patrick finished pushing the water out the door, he caught a glimpse of Cayra walking towards the church. She was wearing the same blue coat he gave her when she was first trying to hide from the ResEs. She kept the hood up while out in the open but when she entered the church, she let it down.

“Still keeping a low profile?” he asked as she sat down in a pew. “Yeah,” Cayra said after a pause “I don’t think I can stick my head out in public again.” Patrick walked over to her. “Don’t think like that,” he said “Maybe the ones who saw you were among the dead from last weeks riot.”

“I wish,” Cayra said.

“Is it too much for wishful thinking?”

“Maybe if it was just one I was hiding from.”

“Well there were only two. How big of a difference does that become?”

“I just know it would be too easy to assume they’re both dead.”

“You can always get a hair cut like John did.”

“John looks retarded.”

“I though you said Laura fixed it.”

“She shaved his head. Are you telling me I should shave my head also? I’d stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Perry’s fine. Still not talking to John, but Laura says he’ll get over it. John managed to move the rest of his weapons and is always out looking for shipments on his map. Both of them now live with Laura again. It’s almost like it was in the beginning.”

“Almost.”

“Yeah. Perry attempted to get his brothel going again, but no woman in their right mind is going anywhere near there, so he doesn’t know what he’ll do now.”

“He doesn’t have to do anything. He has somewhere to call home and friends who are willing to help him.”

“Well, Laura’s going to get rations from the Hub market today. We decided to pool some food and have a big dinner. You’re welcome to join.”

“No thanks.”

Cayra hesitated for a moment. “Eventually you two need to start talking again,” she said. Patrick shook his head trying to ignore her. He and Laura weren’t currently on speaking terms. Neither one talked about their final conversation that led to the mutual disdain they now had for each other, even at the pleading from Cayra at each of them to talk about it. She had since given up at it, but every now and again she’ll try to get one of them to open up.

“I forgot something,” Cayra said as she stood up and made for the door. She put her hood up and looked back at Patrick, still standing next to the pew. “I just want you two to get over this,” she said “Preferably before I get myself killed since I’m the only mutual friend you two have left.” She then left before Patrick could call out that she was being paranoid about the ResEs still looking for her.

She was wrong though. She wasn’t the last mutual friend between him and Laura. Sure, he knew Kate and John from before Safe Haven, but neither of them cared too much to keep in contact after a while. According to Cayra, that meant she was the only link left, but she also still assumed Jake was a dead man.

When Jake first returned to Safe Haven, he made it a point to visit him and Laura, since neither one wanted to kill him at the time. After Patrick and Laura stopped talking though, Jake still kept visiting the both of them. Patrick couldn’t say for sure on what Jake and Laura talked about, but Jake had the decency enough to never bring up Laura after learning of the situation. He doesn’t know what Laura says, but Patrick hasn’t even told Jake about that final conversation and Jake hasn’t pried once on the issue.

Now though, Jake was gone and for perhaps dead for all Patrick knew, meaning that technically Cayra was the only mutual friend left now. Still, Patrick figured now wasn’t exactly a good time to try and mend any friendships or un-burn any bridges. He didn’t know if there ever was a good time for that at this point.